Afternoon Interrogation
by Kokolo
Summary: The first Sunday of the month is not so much a meeting of the minds so much as a meeting of dollar signs. Though privileged with the world at their feet, there is still nothing like gossip over tea. Implied Alan x Lorenzo. Oneshot.


**So I refound some Hey Arnold episodes and ended up watching every one that had to do with rich people all in rapid succession. So I got to thinking and this fell out.  
In case you're wondering, Rex Smithe Higgens III is in a few episodes including **Pig War** and **Tour De Pond**. Brittany and Archer (whose last names I made up) were mentioned in passing in **Polishing Rhonda**. Peapod kid is one of Arnold's classmates (and rich I guess? He made it seem like he was in **Rhonda goes Broke**). And Rhonda is Rhonda.  
Mmyep. **

**Enjoy.**

* * *

The first Sunday of every month was a sort of meeting of the minds – except rather than minds, it was a more of the meeting of the disgustingly affluent. It was started as a sort of play group for the children of these wealthy families to bond and grow up with the right sort of people while their parents did things they never heard or bothered to ask about. Over time it evolved into something like a country club luncheon – practiced, routine, fancy food, and exclusive, expected attendance.

Lorenzo had skipped the last three.

It wasn't that he was openly avoiding them or unanimously ousted (his parents were still grossing a healthy sum, thereby securing his place). It was just that he forgot. He had other things on his mind – all of which he put before the meeting. The thing of it was, Lorenzo hadn't really felt obligated to go. Nothing he did there mattered and none of it was interesting to him. He'd rather be in the room with the adults learning the trade, or elsewhere furthering his own ambitions, or with spending time with his only preferred non-business or academic related outlet - Alan.

On the verge of missing one more Sunday, Lorenzo was delivered a long, detailed, embossed letter imploring his attendance. He was almost sure they threatened and begged him equally, but he didn't bother actually reading all of it. His parents eyed him warily but shrugged and allowed him to do whatever he wished (so long as he wasn't goofing off). At any rate he decided to go to placate the group, but with one extra addition.

At first Alan had seemed excited. His whole face lit up and he nodded, putting away his equipment just to listen to him speak. But, just as Lorenzo mentioned other names, he clouded over again and withdrew, mumbling about other plans. Lorenzo had wanted to call him on it, but he didn't. He never did. Alan probably wouldn't have liked it, anyway. Despite his best effort, he was going to have to suffer this alone (though inwardly he wondered how many letters Alan had thrown away – his father was certainly rich enough to be invited and given lifetime inclusion).

So he arrived at noon exactly, somewhere between on time and fashionably late (not that he particularly cared – his whole schedule had been wiped for this – not that he was bitter or anything). The butler greeted him and the maid showed him to the conservatory. There were already several in attendance, all of them pausing their conversation to look at him. Rex Smithe Higgens the third, Peapod Kid, and Archer DuPont made up the left side while Brittany Leery occupied the soul rightmost chair. All at once Lorenzo felt like he wanted nothing more than to leave. But, ever the gentleman, he smiled politely at them, taking his seat.

"Good afternoon, Lorenzo." Brittany greeted, smiling sidelong at him and stirring her tea. "It's been quite a while."  
"It has."  
"Can I have Marilee get you anything? Tea, coffee, a scone?"  
"Coffee would be wonderful."

Lorenzo smiled. This was going better than he thought. Still, however, he was going to need that caffeine. There were still hours to whittle away with useless conversation. He might as well be awake for some of it (the good parts anyway- Lorenzo was never really partial to gossip).

Marilee gave Lorenzo gave him his coffee and he thanked her, stirring it and taking a sip. He felt eyes on him, but he didn't say anything. He hoped that they would dissolve back into the conversation they were having before. It was no use, however. The minutes ticked by and they waited for him to look up. When Lorenzo didn't (his coffee cup was really rather interesting), Archer cleared his throat and looked aside to Peapod, who nodded and cleared his throat to catch Lorenzo's attention.

"So let me cut to the chase…" Peapod muttered, grinning at Rex as he crossed his legs "We haven't been seeing very much of you."  
"I've been busy." Lorenzo said, taking a sip "You know my schedule. It's a wonder I made it here to day. This week alone-"  
"We have it on good authority you've been snubbing _us_ to hang out with someone else." Rex piped up.  
"I wouldn't call it 'snubbing'…"  
"Whatever." Archer dismissed, waving his hand. "What we want to know is _who_ and _why_."

Lorenzo bit his tongue, nearly saying it was none of their business. In some ways it was, he argued to himself – he had been snubbing them somewhat. But it wasn't so much _because_ of Alan but in spite of him. He'd worked really hard at spending as much time as he could spare with the secluded boy. In order to do that he had moved things around to accommodate the both of them – and in doing so he more or less dropped off what he deemed extraneous. Among those things was this meeting. It wasn't as if he didn't like them – but he'd rather be working or with Alan. Playing it over in his head, Lorenzo realized how it would sound to the others, so he stalled for time, thinking of a much more guarded way to put it.

"If you absolutely must know-"  
"Oh yes." Brittany quipped, "We're dying to hear."  
"If you must know," Lorenzo began again "Aside from actually working and studying to take over my fathers company, I've made a new acquaintance."  
"And this acquaintance has taken up so much of your time that you cannot spare one Sunday to be with old friends?" Rex asked, raising a brow "Just who could be so important?"  
"Allow me to make this clear – I'm not dropping you aside because of this new person. What has happened is merely a fault of my own. There is simply too much to do." Lorenzo lowered his eyes and tried to look sheepish "It has been a while since I have had to make a new friend. I've had to juggle my schedule to accommodate his."  
"Does this new _friend_ have a name?" Archer asked, picking a raisin off of his scone.  
"Alan. Alan Redman."

The guests erupted into a whirl of excited chatter, going off on tangents and 'did you hear's. Lorenzo watched them, only half listening. It was somewhat disgraceful to him to see nearly grown men chattering on and on about someone they only heard of. Then again, Lorenzo had never been a fan of gossip. It was only when the three men turned back to him for confirmation did he snap to full attention.

"Alan Redman? Son of Sammy Redman?"  
"The newspaper, television, radio, and theme park mogul?"  
"The _eccentric_ million – excuse me - multi-_billionaire_?"  
"Ah… yes."  
"Well why didn't you say so!" Rex exclaimed. "Dear boy, don't mind us."  
"You should invite him next time." Archer added.  
"Here here." Peapod nodded.  
"I did, actually." Lorenzo said, immediately regretting it from the looks on their faces.  
"And he was otherwise engaged?"  
"Not in so many words." Lorenzo mumbled, looking off. "He was working. He's a photographer-"  
"He chose some silly hobby over a meeting with us?" Rex scoffed "Tch. I mean, Lorenzo at least _you_ go and do something of actual _merit_ when you decide not to show."  
"I'm sure it's not like that-"

But Lorenzo had lost them again. They went off in a flurry and started the earlier disorganized banter once more, leaving the Latino out of the loop for a blissful few moments. Out of the corner of his eye, however, he spotted the lone female in the room, stirring blandly, then looking up at him. He almost shook his head, silently begging her not to say anything, but she interrupted anyway, speaking loud enough to attract the remaining heirs' attention.

"So… why _have_ you been going over there?" Brittany asked, stirring her tea "Why is it that he spares his seemingly valuable time with you and refuses our letters?"  
"So you have invited him?" Lorenzo asked with a touch of surprise.  
"Yes of course." Peapod said, looking at him with barely concealed distain "His father's mansion alone is worth more than most people"  
"But both Redman's have refused to ever show." Archer added.  
"I suppose that means you're the only one of use who's ever had the privilege of being in either of their company." Brittany observed, smiling to herself.  
"Yes, what makes _you_ so special?" Rex half spat.

Almost too quickly, Lorenzo found himself speechless. It wasn't that he didn't have an answer – he did, and it was plausible and good enough and would probably get them off his back if he repeated it enough. But the fact of the matter was that Lorenzo never considered he and Alan's relationship in this light before. It was always so dark and private it seemed so… naked out in broad daylight, in a gilded sunroom between slacks and tea.

In fact, he never really thought about the more… personal aspects before or after the act. It was only during. Those moments when Alan was wrapped up under him, those moments where he was tasting, touching, _acting_ so primal and improper and Alan encouraging and goading and begging him to do more. Those moments like last night, Alan below him, breathing hotly into the cold room, into him, clawing at his bare back and arching up so they fit together perfectly, drawing every inch of a moan from him – he never thought of it aside from when it was happening. Aside from those present moments, they were merely friends.

However, Lorenzo recognized that those moments in conjunction with the rest of the times they were together made their situation a lot more complicated than he could ever fully understand despite being half of the pair. Thinking about it now, just saying they were friends wasn't even half true. It was just a single part of this _them_ that they how somehow constructed together perfectly without his knowing. To just mention friendship was more than an omission of some facts – it was telling a blatant lie that he himself had believed completely up until this present moment.

He thought of Alan, if he had brought him here, and how he would look now if the questions were directed at him. Instantly he regretted ever thinking about bringing him here. They would have ripped him apart. And he would have just sat by, no better than any of them, quiet and reserved, letting Alan field the question because he at best had a lackluster answer and at worst had a scandal on his hands.

Did that make him a bad person? A terrible friend?

"We are friends." Lorenzo implored, as if to convince himself as well. "He just happens to be a very private person. He doesn't like many people at once."  
"Hello hello!"

Fashionably late as always, Miss Rhonda Wellington-Lloyd bustled into the room wearing the latest Spumoni attire and kissing everyone's cheek in greeting. She flittered about making pleasantries and declaring how sorry she was she was so late, but how for some reason or another it was unavoidable. She laughed and then sat, prim and proper, just as she'd been taught in finishing school, in the right chair beside Brittany, facing everyone with the air of a queen.

"So-" She cooed, elongating the last vowel "What did I just happen to barge in on, hm? I am _sorry_ to have interrupted you Lorenzo – my mistake! Please, do go on!"  
"It's fine." Lorenzo said, trying to be polite, accepting the refill of coffee from the maid, "We were just talking about Alan Redman-"  
"Oh Alan Redman! Oh that man is a _brilliant_ photographer… if not a bit eccentric. Must run in the family, you know. But! Yes I do love his work. My father has a piece of his in the foyer. He did Mr. Redman a favor, I believe, and he offered it right up! How nice of him! And it's an original copy too! We have the negatives stashed away and everything."

All at once the mood and focus shifted from Lorenzo to Rhonda, all their hawks eyes looking upon her while slyly looking back at him. They had him pinned now. Correction – they had the _both_ of them pinned. This would show Lorenzo – how dare he have friends outside their precious social circle. At least, that's what Lorenzo imagined them to be thinking. Once more he wasn't really paying close attention, but he could feel the seedy, probing eyes on him though they were well hidden. Patiently they waited until Rhonda finished her speech on Alan's perfect, pricey, profound photograph – and then all at once they swooped.

"Funny thing, Rhonda-"  
"Alan was supposed to come today."  
"Lorenzo invited him."  
"But he refused."  
"He refused out letters too."  
"Even after Lorenzo and we implored-"  
"We asked oh so nicely-"  
"You should have seen the beautiful letter we sent him-"  
"But he didn't even send word he wouldn't be attending."  
"Isn't that rude?"

They all leaned forward, awaiting her judgment, waiting for her to damn him and Lorenzo all in one fell swoop. A fickle, fickle thing, Mss Llyod's temper was. Lorenzo, for his part, was sipping his coffee. He didn't care either way which way Rhonda's temper raged. He was far too used to it by now, going through a large part of his education in her classes, being paired up with her for project after project because of their 'similar taste'. It wouldn't stop him from being friends with someone who so clearly needed it. He wasn't paying much attention to her anyway – what right did she have to call Alan eccentric? She didn't even know him.

"Oh I should say not." She implored, shaking her head and taking a seat "Alan _is_ an artist, after all. You _know_ how moody they can be. It's part of his charm, I think. In fact, I'd be disappointed if he _was_ here. Such mystery-"

Lorenzo stopped listening entirely.

O/O

"L-Lorenzo. I uh… wasn't expecting you."

Alan had greeted him, dressed sloppily and looking tired, but glad to see him. It was a welcome change, the smell of chemical developer and ill-fitting clothing, from the suit and tie luncheon he had just come from.

"I know. I just wanted to stop by for a while."  
"O-Okay." Alan shut the door behind him and followed Lorenzo inside "How was lunch? I'm uh… sorry I couldn't come I needed to get these prints done for uhm-"  
"It's alright. You didn't miss anything."  
"Did you need anything? Not that I'm not glad you stopped by it's just that-"  
"Are you busy?"  
"No. I just finished."  
"Good." Lorenzo loosened his tie and took off his suit coat, flopping gracelessly onto a nearby couch. "I think I need to talk to someone who's not self-obsessed for a while. Care to help me let the air out of my head?"  
"I'd be glad to."

So Alan slid into place, sitting on the same couch as Lorenzo, as always a short but respectful distance away. He looked confused, but glad, and stayed put even when Lorenzo sat up and scooted toward him. Lorenzo, for the first time that day, smiled and meant it.

* * *

**Fuckin' aw, am I right?**

**I feel kind of bad. I more or less made all the other rich people in this into assholes. Rex has some good about him, as does Rhonda. I apologize to them. But not really. They're trying to impress everyone with their aloofness and social standing. No time for good here!**

**Thanks for reading! **


End file.
